{"id":427226,"date":"2026-01-24T14:48:11","date_gmt":"2026-01-24T14:48:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/427226\/"},"modified":"2026-01-24T14:48:11","modified_gmt":"2026-01-24T14:48:11","slug":"6-facts-about-obesity-and-glp-1-weight-loss-drugs-in-the-us","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/427226\/","title":{"rendered":"6 facts about obesity and GLP-1 weight loss drugs in the US"},"content":{"rendered":"

In recent months, the Trump administration struck a deal with pharmaceutical companies to lower the price<\/a> many Americans pay for popular drugs used for weight loss, such as Ozempic and Wegovy.<\/p>\n

As a result, these types of medications \u2013 formally known as glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists, or GLP-1s \u2013 could become more broadly available in the United States, where obesity affects around four-in-ten adults ages 20 and older.<\/p>\n

Here are six facts about obesity and weight loss in the U.S. and Americans\u2019 views of drugs used for weight loss, drawn from Pew Research Center surveys and other sources.<\/p>\n

About this research<\/p>\n

This Pew Research Center analysis explores obesity in the United States and Americans\u2019 views of weight loss drugs known as GLP-1s (glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists<\/a>).<\/p>\n

Why did we do this?<\/p>\n

Pew Research Center conducts high-quality research and analysis to inform the public, journalists and leaders. This analysis builds on a larger body of work that explores Americans\u2019 health and U.S. health care.<\/p>\n

Learn more about Pew Research Center<\/a> and our research on medicine and health<\/a>.<\/p>\n

How did we do this?<\/p>\n

This analysis uses data from several sources, including two Center surveys conducted in 2024 and 2025. Details about those surveys, including their field dates, questions and methodologies, can be found at the links in the text.<\/p>\n

Age-adjusted obesity rates come from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey<\/a>, conducted by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The CDC began consistently tracking obesity rates for adults ages 20 and older in 1988.\u00a0<\/p>\n

To determine the share of people who are considered overweight, obese or severely obese, the CDC uses body mass index (BMI) calculated from survey respondents\u2019 self-reported weight and height. A BMI of 25.0 to 29.9 is classified as \u201coverweight,\u201d 30.0 to 39.9 is \u201cobese\u201d and 40.0 or more is \u201cseverely obese.\u201d<\/p>\n

BMI can give clinicians and researchers a broad look at a population\u2019s health and is sometimes used as an individual screening tool. But many medical professionals advise that BMI alone is not enough<\/a> to measure a person\u2019s health risks because it doesn\u2019t account for factors like body composition and genetics.<\/p>\n

We accessed financial statements from Novo Nordisk and Eli Lilly using the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission\u2019s EDGAR database of corporate filings<\/a>. We analyzed sales of Ozempic, Wegovy and Rybelsus together because all three are based on the active ingredient semaglutide; Mounjaro and Zepbound belong to a similar class of drugs with the active ingredient tirzepatide.<\/p>\n

Novo Nordisk is a Danish company and reports its financials in Danish kroner. We converted its reported revenues to U.S. dollars at the rate of 1 krone = $0.154, the prevailing exchange rate at the time of analysis.<\/p>\n

Information on state Medicaid coverage of GLP-1s for obesity comes from a January 2026 report from KFF<\/a>, a nonpartisan research organization focused on health policy.<\/p>\n

Share of U.S. adults considered obese down slightly in recent years<\/p>\n

% of U.S. adults ages 20 and older whose body mass index classifies them as obese<\/p>\n

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Note: Age-adjusted figures. Those considered obese have a BMI of 30.0 or more. 2019-20 data collection was disrupted due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Source: National Center for Health Statistics.<\/p>\n

PEW RESEARCH CENTER<\/p>\n

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Share of U.S. adults considered obese down slightly in recent years<\/p>\n

% of U.S. adults ages 20 and older whose body mass index classifies them as obese<\/p>\n

Year labelYearsObesity rateCategory\u201988- \u2019941988-199422.9%1988-1994\u201999- \u2019001999-200030.51999-2018\u201901- \u2019022001-200230.51999-2018\u201903- \u2019042003-200432.21999-2018\u201905- \u2019062005-200634.31999-2018\u201907- \u2019082007-200833.71999-2018\u201909- \u2019102009-201035.71999-2018\u201911- \u2019122011-201234.91999-2018\u201913- \u2019142013-201437.71999-2018\u201915- \u2019162015-201639.61999-2018\u201917- \u2019182017-201842.41999-2018\u201921- \u2019232021-2023 40.3 2021-2023<\/p>\n

Note: Age-adjusted figures. Those considered obese have a BMI of 30.0 or more. 2019-20 data collection was disrupted due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Source: National Center for Health Statistics.<\/p>\n

PEW RESEARCH CENTER<\/p>\n

ChartDataShare<\/p>\n

Around 40% of Americans ages 20 and older are considered obese, and nearly 10% are severely obese. These rates are based on body mass index data from 2021-23, the most recent age-adjusted estimates from the Centers for Disease and Control and Prevention (CDC).<\/p>\n

The nation\u2019s obesity rate has climbed in recent decades. In the 1988-94 survey period, 22.9% of adults ages 20 and older were classified as obese, and 2.8% were severely obese.<\/p>\n

From 2017-18 to 2021-23, the share of adults considered obese declined by around 2 percentage points. This is the first time the rate has declined by more than 1 point between survey periods.<\/p>\n

About two-thirds of U.S. adults (65%) said in a February 2024 Pew Research Center survey<\/a> that willpower alone is usually not enough for most people to lose weight and keep it off. Another 34% said willpower alone is usually enough.<\/p>\n

In 2024, 65% of Americans said willpower alone was not enough for most people to lose weight and keep it off<\/p>\n

% of U.S. adults who say that for most people who are trying to lose weight and keep it off \u2026<\/p>\n

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* Estimates for Asian adults are representative of English speakers only.
Note: Respondents who did not give an answer are not shown. White, Black and Asian adults include those who report being only one race and are not Hispanic. Hispanic adults are of any race.
Source: Survey of U.S. adults conducted Feb. 7-11, 2024.<\/p>\n

PEW RESEARCH CENTER<\/p>\n

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In 2024, 65% of Americans said willpower alone was not enough for most people to lose weight and keep it off<\/p>\n

% of U.S. adults who say that for most people who are trying to lose weight and keep it off \u2026<\/p>\n

Willpower alone is usually NOT enoughWillpower alone is usually enoughCategoryU.S. adults6534U.S. adultsMen5941GenderWomen7128GenderWhite 6831Race\/ethnicityBlack7029Race\/ethnicityHispanic5543Race\/ethnicityAsian*5446Race\/ethnicityAges 18-295544Age30-496139Age50-647129Age65+7326AgeRep\/Lean Rep5940PartyDem\/Lean Dem7128Party<\/p>\n

* Estimates for Asian adults are representative of English speakers only.
Note: Respondents who did not give an answer are not shown. White, Black and Asian adults include those who report being only one race and are not Hispanic. Hispanic adults are of any race.
Source: Survey of U.S. adults conducted Feb. 7-11, 2024.<\/p>\n

PEW RESEARCH CENTER<\/p>\n

ChartDataShare<\/p>\n

Women were significantly more likely than men to say willpower is not enough (71% vs. 59%). And older adults were more likely than younger adults to say this is the case, though the prevailing view across all age groups is that willpower is not enough.<\/p>\n

The same survey asked Americans about environmental and lifestyle factors that might impact a person\u2019s weight<\/a>. The largest shares said diet (57%) and exercise habits (43%) impact weight a great deal, though one-fifth or more said the same about stress, genetics and access to grocery stores.<\/p>\n

Related: Americans on Healthy Food and Eating<\/a><\/p>\n

About half (53%) of Americans say they hear or read about Ozempic, Wegovy and similar drugs extremely or very often, as of early 2025<\/a>. Another 27% say they hear or read about them sometimes, while 19% say they rarely or never do.<\/p>\n

About half of Americans say they hear about weight loss drugs extremely or very often<\/p>\n

% of U.S. adults who say that in general, they hear or read about Ozempic and similar drugs being used for weight loss \u2026<\/p>\n

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Note: Respondents who did not give an answer are not shown.\u00a0
Source: Survey of U.S. adults conducted Feb. 24-March 2, 2025.<\/p>\n

PEW RESEARCH CENTER<\/p>\n

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About half of Americans say they hear about weight loss drugs extremely or very often<\/p>\n

% of U.S. adults who say that in general, they hear or read about Ozempic and similar drugs being used for weight loss \u2026<\/p>\n

U.S. adultsExtremely\/Very often53Sometimes27Rarely\/Never19<\/p>\n

Note: Respondents who did not give an answer are not shown.\u00a0
Source: Survey of U.S. adults conducted Feb. 24-March 2, 2025.<\/p>\n

PEW RESEARCH CENTER<\/p>\n

ChartDataShare<\/p>\n

Women are more likely than men to say they hear or read about weight loss drugs extremely or very often (59% vs. 47%), with women ages 50 and older particularly likely to say this.<\/p>\n

Older women more likely than younger women to say they frequently hear about weight loss drugs<\/p>\n

% of U.S. women who say that in general, they hear or read about Ozempic and similar drugs being used for weight loss extremely\/very often<\/p>\n

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PEW RESEARCH CENTER<\/p>\n

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Older women more likely than younger women to say they frequently hear about weight loss drugs<\/p>\n

% of U.S. women who say that in general, they hear or read about Ozempic and similar drugs being used for weight loss extremely\/very often<\/p>\n

WomenCategoryWomen59U.S. adultsAges 18-2952Ages30-4953Ages50-6468Ages65+63Ages<\/p>\n

PEW RESEARCH CENTER<\/p>\n

ChartDataShare<\/p>\n

Americans tend to see these drugs as good weight loss options for people with certain health conditions, but not for other people who just want to lose weight. Among those who had heard of Ozempic, Wegovy and similar drugs in February 2024<\/a>, 53% said they are good weight loss options for people with obesity or a weight-related health condition.<\/p>\n

A much smaller share (12%) saw these drugs as good options for people who want to lose weight but don\u2019t have a weight-related health condition. Another 62% said they are not good options, and 26% were unsure.<\/p>\n

Sales of GLP-1s have exploded in recent years. Novo Nordisk \u2013 the Danish maker of Ozempic, Wegovy and Rybelsus \u2013 reported $31.1 billion in revenue from these three drugs in 2024, up from $11.9 billion in 2022. They accounted for 70% of Novo Nordisk\u2019s entire 2024 revenue.<\/p>\n

Ozempic, Wegovy and Rybelsus sales up steeply, especially in the U.S.<\/p>\n

Combined annual sales for Ozempic, Wegovy and Rybelsus by region, in U.S. dollars<\/p>\n

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Note: Figures converted from Danish kroner to U.S. dollars, at rate of 1 krone = $0.154. Total 2018 and 2019 sales for Europe, Middle East and Africa include the Oceania region. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved Rybelsus to treat Type 2 diabetes in 2019; Wegovy was approved for weight management in 2021.
Source: Novo Nordisk annual reports, accessed through U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission\u2019s EDGAR database.\u00a0<\/p>\n

PEW RESEARCH CENTER<\/p>\n

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Ozempic, Wegovy and Rybelsus sales up steeply, especially in the U.S.<\/p>\n

Combined annual sales for Ozempic, Wegovy and Rybelsus by region, in U.S. dollars<\/p>\n

YearTotalU.S.North America, excluding U.S.Europe, Middle East and AfricaChinaRest of world2018$276,584,000$251,636,000\u00a0$18,942,000$6,006,000$0$02019$1,738,198,000$1,485,946,000$76,230,000$149,226,000$0$02020$3,554,936,000$2,845,304,000$144,452,000$484,792,000$1,540,000$78,848,000 2021$6,149,066,000$4,434,738,000$269,808,000$1,029,028,000$46,662,000$368,830,0002022$11,894,498,000$8,145,830,000$579,656,000$1,876,490,000$347,886,000$944,636,0002023$22,454,894,000$15,939,000,000$1,021,174,000$3,152,688,000$762,608,000$1,579,424,0002024$31,084,746,000$21,677,964,000$1,289,288,000$4,720,100,000$996,226,000$2,401,168,000<\/p>\n

Note: Figures converted from Danish kroner to U.S. dollars, at rate of 1 krone = $0.154. Total 2018 and 2019 sales for Europe, Middle East and Africa include the Oceania region. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved Rybelsus to treat Type 2 diabetes in 2019; Wegovy was approved for weight management in 2021.
Source: Novo Nordisk annual reports, accessed through U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission\u2019s EDGAR database.\u00a0<\/p>\n

PEW RESEARCH CENTER<\/p>\n

ChartDataShare<\/p>\n

Similar medications \u2013 such as Mounjaro and Zepbound, produced by the U.S. pharmaceutical company Eli Lilly \u2013 have also seen a steep rise in sales over the past few years.<\/p>\n

Mounjaro, Zepbound see surge in popularity<\/p>\n

Annual sales for Mounjaro and Zepbound, in U.S. dollars<\/p>\n

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Note: The U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved Mounjaro to treat Type 2 diabetes in 2022; Zepbound was approved for weight management in 2023.
Source: Eli Lilly and Co. annual reports, accessed through U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission\u2019s EDGAR database.\u00a0<\/p>\n

PEW RESEARCH CENTER<\/p>\n

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Mounjaro, Zepbound see surge in popularity<\/p>\n

Annual sales for Mounjaro and Zepbound, in U.S. dollars<\/p>\n

YearMounjaroZepboundTotal company revenue2022$482,500,000$0$28,541,400,0002023$5,163,100,000$175,800,000$34,124,100,0002024$11,540,100,000$4,925,700,000$45,042,700,000<\/p>\n

Note: The U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved Mounjaro to treat Type 2 diabetes in 2022; Zepbound was approved for weight management in 2023.
Source: Eli Lilly and Co. annual reports, accessed through U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission\u2019s EDGAR database.\u00a0<\/p>\n

PEW RESEARCH CENTER<\/p>\n

ChartDataShare<\/p>\n

After receiving approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in mid-2022, Mounjaro generated $5.2 billion in sales worldwide in 2023, and that jumped to $11.5 billion in 2024. Zepbound, approved in late 2023, made $4.9 billion in 2024. Together, Mounjaro and Zepbound accounted for around 37% of Eli Lilly\u2019s 2024 revenue.<\/p>\n

The largest market for weight loss drugs by far is North America<\/a>. In 2024, nearly 70% of combined Ozempic, Wegovy and Rybelsus sales were in the U.S. alone, as were 84% of Mounjaro and Zepbound sales.<\/p>\n

Thirteen states cover GLP-1s for obesity treatment under Medicaid, according to a January 2026 report from KFF<\/a>, a nonpartisan research organization focused on health policy. Another seven states cover one or more weight loss drugs but not any GLP-1s.<\/p>\n

The rising costs of weight loss drugs have caused some states to restrict who qualifies for them<\/a> or end coverage altogether. For instance, California, New Hampshire, Pennsylvania and South Carolina stopped covering GLP-1s for weight loss as of Jan. 1. And North Carolina briefly suspended coverage last fall, citing shortfalls in funding<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Most states don\u2019t cover GLP-1s for obesity treatment under Medicaid<\/p>\n

States with Medicaid plans that cover one or more glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1s) for obesity treatment under fee-for-service<\/p>\n

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Note: As of January 2026.
Source: KFF.<\/p>\n

PEW RESEARCH CENTER<\/p>\n

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Most states don\u2019t cover GLP-1s for obesity treatment under Medicaid<\/p>\n

States with Medicaid plans that cover one or more glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1s) for obesity treatment under fee-for-service<\/p>\n

NameFIPSInsurance coverageAlabama01Not coveredAlaska02Not coveredArizona04Not coveredArkansas05Not coveredCalifornia06Not coveredColorado08Not coveredConnecticut09Coverage for one or more weight loss drugs but not GLP-1sDelaware10Coverage in place and covers GLP-1s for obesity treatmentDistrict of Columbia11Not coveredFlorida12Not coveredGeorgia13Not coveredHawaii15Not coveredIdaho16Not coveredIllinois17Not coveredIndiana18Not coveredIowa19Not coveredKansas20Coverage in place and covers GLP-1s for obesity treatmentKentucky21Not coveredLouisiana22Coverage for one or more weight loss drugs but not GLP-1sMaine23Not coveredMaryland24Not coveredMassachusetts25Coverage in place and covers GLP-1s for obesity treatmentMichigan26Coverage in place and covers GLP-1s for obesity treatmentMinnesota27Coverage in place and covers GLP-1s for obesity treatmentMississippi28Coverage in place and covers GLP-1s for obesity treatmentMissouri29Coverage in place and covers GLP-1s for obesity treatmentMontana30Not coveredNebraska31Not coveredNevada32Not coveredNew Hampshire33Coverage for one or more weight loss drugs but not GLP-1sNew Jersey34Not coveredNew Mexico35Coverage for one or more weight loss drugs but not GLP-1sNew York36Not coveredNorth Carolina37Coverage in place and covers GLP-1s for obesity treatmentNorth Dakota38Coverage for one or more weight loss drugs but not GLP-1sOhio39Not coveredOklahoma40Not coveredOregon41Not coveredPennsylvania42Coverage for one or more weight loss drugs but not GLP-1sRhode Island44Coverage in place and covers GLP-1s for obesity treatmentSouth Carolina45Not coveredSouth Dakota46Not coveredTennessee47Coverage in place and covers GLP-1s for obesity treatmentTexas48Coverage for one or more weight loss drugs but not GLP-1sUtah49Coverage in place and covers GLP-1s for obesity treatmentVermont50Not coveredVirginia51Coverage in place and covers GLP-1s for obesity treatmentWashington53Not coveredWest Virginia54Not coveredWisconsin55Coverage in place and covers GLP-1s for obesity treatmentWyoming56Not covered<\/p>\n

Note: As of January 2026.
Source: KFF.<\/p>\n

PEW RESEARCH CENTER<\/p>\n

ChartDataShare<\/p>\n

KFF found that the number of Medicaid prescriptions for GLP-1s increased from 1.3 million in 2019 to 8.4 million in 2024. Likewise, Medicaid gross spending on GLP-1s increased from nearly $1 billion in 2019 to $8.6 billion 2024.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"In recent months, the Trump administration struck a deal with pharmaceutical companies to lower the price many Americans…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":427227,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[59],"tags":[97,252,253],"class_list":{"0":"post-427226","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-health-care","8":"tag-health","9":"tag-health-care","10":"tag-healthcare"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/427226","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=427226"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/427226\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/427227"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=427226"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=427226"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=427226"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}